**2. Nutritional efficiency**

Research has shown that there is a difference among sugarcane varieties in terms of efficiency in the absorption and use of nutrients. There are materials presenting a reasonable production even under conditions of low availability of such nutrients in the soil solution, while other varieties, at times more productive, are consequently more demanding. In the analysis of nutritional efficiency of a variety of sugarcane, its capacity to absorb and use nutrients for the production of dry biomass, protein and sucrose is quantified. The variety that, in the same soil and climatic conditions, accumulates more nutrients is considered more efficient in the absorption process, and the variety that produces a greater mass of sucrose or biomass in relation to mass of an absorbed nutrient is the most efficient in the use of such element [1]. It is desirable that the variety be efficient in both processes, but this is not always achieved.

Currently, there are several sugarcane cultivars with good agronomic, industrial and zootechnical characteristics, such as adaptation to different edaphoclimatic environments, erect growth and resistance to falling, which facilitates harvesting, high yield of culms and sucrose, vigor of sprouts, tolerance to major pests and diseases, and a good dry matter digestibility. It is recommended to plant more than one variety of sugarcane so that, in case of an eventual break of disease resistance or a sudden problem with the cultivar, production will not be significantly compromised. When working with several varieties, varietal management should be adopted to use the good characteristics of each variety to the maximum. Having defined the varieties to be planted, it is necessary to make sure of the quality of seedlings. They should preferably be chosen from nurseries with a good sanity, ages varying between 9 and 12 months, and first, or at most, second cutting.
